NSCDC operative, armed robber killed in Yenagoa

An operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, attached to the Bayelsa State command, and a suspected armed robber, have been killed in a gun battle.

It was learnt that the incident took place along Kolo Creek in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday.

A gang of suspected armed robbers operating in the area was said to have laid an ambush for a patrol van of the NSCDC operatives.

The armed robbers, it was further learnt, reportedly laid ambush for the civil defenders after allegedly attacking a police checkpoint first along the road.

The robbers were said to have allegedly caught the policemen off guard and disarmed the cops about 12:24am on Wednesday.

A security source, who did not want to be quoted, claimed the suspected armed robbers caught the policemen off guard and succeeded in forcing them to surrender their weapons.

The source said the robbers made away with about three Ak47 rifles and several rounds of ammunition belonging to the police.

He said, “When they escaped from the scene, they sighted a security patrol van manned by operatives of the NSCDC and hid in the bush. When the van approached, they opened fire on it killing one of the corps operatives.”

“But the operatives fired back at the hoodlums and gunned down one of the armed robbers while others escaped later.”

It was gathered that the remains of the slain armed robber with his pump-action rifle were recovered by the civil defenders and brought to NSCDC headquarters in Yenagoa.

They reportedly handed over to the state Commandant of NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu.

When contacted, Agu confirmed that armed robbers laid ambush for a patrol van of the corps and killed one of the operatives.

He, however, praised his men for fighting back and overpowering them with their superior gunfire resulting in the killing of one of the robbers.

Agu, however, said he was not aware of the attack on a police checkpoint, noting that he had handed over the riffle and the corpse of killed robber to the state’s police command.

Effort to speak with the spokesman for the Bayelsa Police Command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, proved abortive as his mobile phone did not connect after several attempts to call him.